Fireproof building construction



Dec. '8, 1936. ALDUF 2,063,010

FIREPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FiledJuly 3, 1955 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I II Elf 1 16217411 INVENTOR BEu/vo E BHLDUF.

I ATl'bRNEY Dec. 8, 1936. B. E. BALDUF 2,063,010

FIREPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed July3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 *mmemwsamxxmaw wwamm filiivillz.

INVENTOR BEL/NO E BBL l DUF' We 2 I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Bruno E.Balduf, Chicago, 111., assignor to United 'States Gypsum Company,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois This invention relates to-buflding constructions, and has reference more particularly to buildingconstructions in which metal studs and framework are used to supportcomposition boards.

In the construction of dry wall partitions, floors and ceilings, it isdesirable to attach composition boards, such as gypsum or fiber boards,directly to steel studs and framework of a building. Methods and meansfor accomplishing this end previously proposed, have been found to belaborious in field erection and the units have been expensive toconstruct in the factory. It is also desirable to provide a. frameconstruction suitable for use in the outside walls of buildings.

An object of this invention therefore, is to provide a buildingconstruction utilizing composition boards directly attached to metalstuds and framework of a, building.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of theclass described which may be easily and cheaply constructed in thefactory and erected in the field with a low labor cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steel frameconstruction suitable for forming the outside walls of buildings; alsoto improve building constructions in other respects hereinafterspecified and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of myimproved partition structure, I

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view through the partition taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view at the junction of a partition andintersecting wall,

Fig. 4 is a sectional planview of two intersecting partitions at thecorner of a building,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a partition stud combined with anexpansion member,

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view through the stud taken on line 6-6 ofFig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view taken on line of Fig, 1 showing themanner of attaching the studs to supporting runners,

Fig. 8'is a sectional perspective View showing joists in a buildingconstruction, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view through a modisecured in pairs toopposite sides of the channels inserted in the hole and tightened todraw the board tightly against the plate l3. If abutting edges of theboard lie opposite the stud channels I0, they are attached in the mannerabove described, the joint is filled with a cementitious joint filler,and the exposed surfaces of the boards are decorated with plastic paint,Wall paper or the like. It will be seen that boards 38 do not touch thestud flanges l2 between the plates l3 and are free to vibrate undersound waves impinging against the wall face. The partition thus acts asa membrane and has a high acoustical or sound absorbing value,especially for sound. waves of low frequency. The partition alsoexhibits marked-sound insulating value.

Thetops of channels III are seated between flanges iii of channelrunners l9, said flanges being connected by webs 20 which are providedwith spaced perforations 2| for nailing attachment to the ceiling of aroom, or other building framework. A similar bottom runner 22 with Web23 and flanges 24 receives the bottom ends of channels In. In order tolock the stud channels H1 in place, runner flanges l8 and 24 are bentinwardly at the time of erection between said channels In to formlocking detents 25 (Fig. 7) Runner flanges l8 and 24 are provided atintervals with a plurality of spaced perforations 26 to receive theboard attaching screws I5.

In some cases, itis desirable to provide an extension member 28 at thetop ofthe stud in order to accommodate varying ceiling heights. Thisextension member is preferably U-shaped and includes channel legs 29having flanges 30, said flanges being cut out for clearance to permitbending so as to form the connecting channel member 3|. Perforatedplates 32 are secured between the inside of flanges 30 by spot weldingor riveting, so as to give clearance past the perforated plates [3. Theboard attaching screws l5 engage in the perforations in plates 32 andtheboards then hold the extensions 28 in, the desired adjusted position.The channel legs23 fit before the assembly of boards It so that saidextension members may be readily moved to give the desired length to thestud. Connector strips 32a are secured to the bottoms of flanges 30 tomake sliding connection with the stud flanges |2. The detents 25 arepressed about the tops of extension members 28 as above described inorder to hold the tops of said extension members inposition.

In assembling intersecting partitions as illustrated inv Fig. 3, andinforming corners of rooms as illustrated in Fig. 4, runners identicalwith runners I9 and 22 and having channel webs 34, are attached toperforated plates |3 by screws 35 which pass through boards I6 andengage in the perforations in the plates l3. Outstanding flanges 38formed on the channel web 34 extend at right angles to the boards l6 andare perforated to receive screws 31 for attaching boards 38 to saidflanges 36. In order to provide framing for doors 40 and windows, (Fig.4) wooden strips 4| are secured between channel flanges ,|2 by screws 42engaging in drilled holes in the web Suitable door jambs 43 and trim 44may then be attached to the strip 4| by nailing. Channel studs I may bemade of heavier construction (Fig. 8) and placed in a horizontalposition to form girders and joists, ceiling boards 46 and floor boards41 being then attached to the perforated plates |3 by screws in themanner previously described.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 9, stud channels 50have outstanding flanges which are secured together by perforated plates52. These plates 52 have center sections 53 which are bowed inwardlybetween the stud channels 50 and each plate is provided with one or morepressed integral stiffening ribs 54 to hold said plates in shape againstthe pressure of board attaching screws 55 which engage in theperforations in said plates. Boards 56 made 'of fiber. and being ofsemi-flexible nature, are secured to the plates 53 by screws 55, and arearranged in edge abutting relation adjacent the plates 53. The pressureof the screws bends the edges of boards 56 slightly inwardly to form aface cavity 51 so that the joint may be leveled off with cementitiousmaterial 58 and plastic paint to form a strong, reinforced joint due tothe excess cementitious-material at the joint.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated examplesconstitute practical embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to limitmyself precisely to these details, since manifestly the same may beconsiderably varied without departing from the spirit of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:-

1. A building element, comprisinga pair of metallic channels with thewebs thereof in spaced, parallel relation, the flanges of said channelslying in spaced, parallel planes, and foraminous plates secured to saidflanges, said plates having closely spaced perforations adapted toreceive board attaching screws.

2. A building element, comprising a pair of metallic strips in spaced,parallel relation, and a plurality of foraminous plates rigidly secured.to opposite sides of said strips to-secure said strips together inspaced relation, said plates being provided with closely spacedperforations adapted to receive board attaching screws.

3. A building element, comprising a pair of snugly but slidingly betweenthe channel webs elongated strips in spaced, parallel relation, and aforaminous plate secured at opposite edges to said strips so as torigidly connect said strips, said plate being provided with closelyspaced perforations adapted to receive board attaching screws.

4. A building stud, comprising a pair of elon gated'strips in spaced,parallel relation, a plurality of perforated plates connecting saidstrips, said plates having closely spaced perforations for receivingboard attaching screws, an extension member slidably received betweensaid strips and -closely spaced perforations, flatfacing elementsadjacent said perforated plates, and screws passing through said facingelements and engaging in the perforations insaid plates.

6. In a building construction, a plurality of structural elementsarranged in a plane in spaced,

parallel relation, each of said elements comprising a pair of metallicchannels with parallel webs and flanges extending from the edges of saidwebs, a plurality of perforated plates secured to said flanges andconnecting said channels, said plates having a multiplicity of closelyspaced perforations, flat facing elements adjacent said perforatedplates, and screws passing through said facing elements and engaging inthe perforations in said plates.

'7. In a. building construction, a structural element comprising a pairof metallic channels with parallel webs and flanges extending from theedges of said webs, a plurality of perforated plates secured to saidflanges and connecting said channels, said plates having a multiplicityof closely spaced perforations, flat facing elements adjacent saidperforated plates, screws passing through said facing elements andengaging in the perforations in said plates, a metallic wall channelhaving a web abutting against a facing element adjacent said perforatedplates, said wall channel having outstanding flanges, screws passingthrough said wall channel web and said facing elements and engaging inthe perforations in said perforated plate, and intersecting facingelements secured to the outstanding flanges of said wall,

channel.

8. In a building construction, a pair of spaced, parallel strips ofmaterial, a plurality of perforated plates secured to each side of saidstrips to rigidly secure said strips together, said plates being bowedinwardly between said strips and having a plurality of closely spacedperforations, a pair of flat facing elements having abutting edgesadjacent said perforated plates, screws passing through said facingelements and engaging in the perforations in said plates so as to bendthe edges of said facing elements inwardly to follow the contour of saidbowed plate and form a cavity on the exposed faces of said facingelements adjacent the abutting edges thereof, and cementitious materialcovering the exposed faces of said facing elements and filling saidcavity.

9. In a building construction, a plurality of structural elementsarranged in a plane in spaced, parallel relation, each of said elementscomprising a pair of elongated strips of material in spaced,

parallel relation, perforated plates secured to said strips andforinirfg a rigid connection therebetween, said plates having closelyspaced perforations, flat facing elements adjacent said perforatedplates and secured thereto by screws, and

10. In a building construction, a building stud" comprising a pair ofelongated strips in spaced,

parallel relation, a plurality of foramin'ous plates 10 secured atopposite edges to said strips so as to rigidly connect said strips, saidplates being provided with closely spaced perforations, and buildingboards supported in face abutting relation against said plates andsecured thereto by screws, said boards being out of contact with saidstrips between said plates so as to provide semi-flexible. membranes forthe acoustical absorption of sound and for sound insulation.

